


Hitteki Scrolls: Filler 4: Mobbed by Mistletoe

by jennymstead



Series: Hitteki Scrolls [14]
Category: Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, Naruto
Genre: Chases, Childhood, Christmas, Christmas Eve, Christmas Fluff, Flashbacks, Funny, Gen, Holidays, Konohagakure | Hidden Leaf Village, Mistletoe, Presents, Snow, Snowball Fight
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-02
Updated: 2020-11-02
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:14:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,074
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27342574
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jennymstead/pseuds/jennymstead
Summary: Trapped in a bookstore, Kakashi and Toshi reminisce about a holiday eve from their childhood.
Relationships: Hatake Kakashi/Original Female Character(s)
Series: Hitteki Scrolls [14]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1976317
Kudos: 3
Collections: Kakashi





	Hitteki Scrolls: Filler 4: Mobbed by Mistletoe

**Author's Note:**

> Naruto (c) Masashi Kishimoto  
> Hitteki Scrolls (c) 2007/2020 Jenny M. Stead

Scroll 4:  
Mobbed by Mistletoe

On, off, on, off.

Kakashi stared blankly toward a strand of twinkling lights as they dangled elegantly over the local bookstore of Konoha. He walked carefully across the street to the small establishment moving aside slightly to avoid a two man group of caroling ninja. The two individuals instantly snatched him by the arm as Kakashi tried to regain his balance from the patch of ice that he was trying to cross.  
“OH HEAR THOSE SLEIGH BELLS RING LING, TING, TING TINGLING TOO!” One of them screeched as loud and as obnoxious as he possibly could. His partner in the tone-deaf singing wrapped an arm around Kakashi as the two surrounded the ninja; swaying back and fourth as the by passers chuckled toward the ninja’s misfortune.  
“C’mon Kakashi!” The man that snatched his arm shook him slightly, “Get in the holiday spirit! One more day, you know!” Kakashi tried not to allow his temper take over as a few more people strolled by pointing in laughter, one of them being an old friend of his, Sarutobi Asuma.  
“Let go," he spoke calmly, yet threatening.  
“Let us sing Jingle Bells next, Sensei!” The man’s partner yelled in excitement. Kakashi had to cover his ears from the blast.  
“Yes,” the man struck a pose as he shoved a huge thumbs-up into Kakashi’s face, “lets! Good song choice, Lee!”  
“Thank you Gai-sensei!” Without warning the two ninja lunged toward each other. Kakashi ducked down to the icy floor as the two ninja almost caught him in their embarrassing embrace. Quickly, and still avoiding the patch of ice, Kakashi snuck past them, and into the store.

Kakashi slammed the entrance shut. He gave a puzzled look out of the shop window to watch Maito Gai, and his student Rock Lee, continue their obnoxious caroling.  
“Not you again!” The shop owner looked angry as he shot a cold stare toward Kakashi, “I’ve told you already. I haven’t heard about any new Icha Icha books!” Kakashi raised a frustrated eyebrow as he snatched a new copy of Icha Icha Paradise off of one of the nearby shelves.  
“Here," he slammed it on the counter, “and can you gift wrap it for me also?”  
“I thought you already owned it?” The bookstore owner looked bewildered as he observed the novel, “A fan like you?”  
“It’s not for me," Kakashi explained as he reached for the billfold in his back waste sack, “hence the reason why I want it wrapped.” The man rang up the purchase as Kakashi handed him a few bills from his wallet.  
“You want a name tag?” The man asked with a raised eyebrow, “That costs extra you know?” Kakashi’s eye twitched in irritation. Sure, he had been in this building almost every day since the second volume of his favorite novel series had been released, and sure, the purpose was to find out if another volume was coming out anytime soon, but was this anyway to treat a paying customer?  
“Don’t bother," he muttered snatching a random magazine from the nearby rack, “they’ll know it’s from me.” The shop owner took from behind his desk a roll of wrapping paper and a cheap bow from a drawer. He slapped the book down on the counter and began working diligently. Kakashi flipped absentmindedly through the pages of the magazine as the shop owner eyed him suspiciously.  
“So who’s the gift for?” He broke the silence, “A fellow reader? Personally I’ve never heard of anyone else liking this stuff; too perverted!” Kakashi’s eye twitched again.  
“A friend," he defended, “and they’re good books. Once you get past most of the issues, they’re really interesting stories!” Kakashi sighed. He had been giving that defense since the very first day he laid hands on his own copy of Icha Icha Paradise; the first novel of the series. The bookstore owner was about to shoot another degrading comment about the book when all at once the door exploded open, and slammed shut again.

“For goodness sake!” The bookstore owner threw his hands in the air slapping the bow on the gift, “The door says enter, not slam! I’m not made of money you know! You break my door, you bought it!” He was also yelling at Kakashi, who committed the same act moments before. Yet, Kakashi didn’t pay him any mind. He peered over the display rack as his glance met a rather familiar young woman leaning breathlessly against the door. She spun around quickly to peek out of the window. Kakashi raised a curious eyebrow as he sneaked up to her.  
“Whatcha running from?” He whispered in her ear as the woman jumped nearly ten feet in the air. She instantly spun around to meet him eye to eye. Kakashi roared in laughter from her reaction.  
“JERK!" She stomped on his foot. Kakashi was wearing his ninja sandals with snow boot attachments, yet they still didn’t withstand the strength of her stomp. He winced with another chuckle. He knew that he deserved it.  
“Seriously, who are you running from?” He leaned up against the counter as the shop owner handed him the present. Kakashi slipped the gift into his flack vest as the woman stared out of the window again.  
“Damn, Ebisu!” She quickly ducked down behind a trash can as a tall figure glanced in the door way. Kakashi gave him a friendly wave as the man squinted his eyes to stare inward. His trademark dark sunglasses were hanging off the bridge of his nose, and he looked to be searching for something, or someone.  
“You’re boyfriend’s looking for you, Toshi," Kakashi glanced down tranquilly as the woman’s eyes widened in fear, “you want me to get his attention?”  
“NO!” Toshi spat in a whisper, “I’m avoiding him!”  
“Couldn’t tell,” Kakashi sarcastically remarked in amusement, “how’s Ebisu doing these days? Or should I invite him in to ask him myself?”  
“Damn it, Kakashi," the woman swore warningly pointing a threatening finger at him, “if you allow as much as a shoe of his to enter this building, I’ll personally kill you right now!” Kakashi laughed out loud.  
“Awe," he whined in amusement, “but it would be fun.”  
“NO!” She threatened again while huddled against the counter.

“HEY YOU, MISSEY!” The shopkeeper slammed his fist on the counter to gain her attention. Toshi gazed straight up to meet his piercing scowl, “This isn’t a bunker, and we are not in a war! So if you’re not going to buy anything, then I suggest you leave!”  
“Hey," Kakashi was fed up with the man’s attitude, “lay off. She’s with me.”

“C’mon," Kakashi snatched her up by the arm after Ebisu left the door, “let’s go to the back and wait this whole thing out. I have a feeling he’ll be looking for you close by.” Toshi followed the man to the rear of the shop as Kakashi stared blankly at her.  
“I swear," she folded her arms across her chest, “could this day get any worse?”  
“It’s the eve before the big holiday," Kakashi explained taking a random novel from the shelf, “it’s only normal for it to be this congested outside. I was snatched up by Gai and Lee just a few minutes ago.”  
“I nearly avoided them," Toshi admitted with a smile toward the thought of Kakashi being dragged off by the two, “but I would have rather been snatched by the Twin Green Beasts than Ebisu.”  
“What’s his deal?”  
“Mistletoe," Toshi growled, “I came outside for a few hours to go pick up something from Yasaru’s, and he comes barreling out of no where dangling that dumb twig.”  
“Wow," Kakashi wondered out loud, “Mistletoe? Poor you.”  
“Yeah," Toshi shook her head as she sat down against the bookshelves, “Poor me.”

Kakashi joined her at her spot as he flipped through the book his was holding in boredom. Toshi stared up toward him as he began chuckling quietly.  
“Its not funny," Toshi pouted with a scowl. Kakashi gazed up. If looks could kill, he would have exploded right then.  
“No," he waved toward her with a laugh, “I’m not laughing at you and Ebisu. Though, that is pretty funny too. I was just reminded of something that’s all.”  
“What?” Toshi was interested now as she unzipped her jacket, “Spit it out already.”

Kakashi tapped the book against his masked chin in thought, “Remember the winter before Obito passed?” She thought for a moment about the memory as her face flushed in embarrassment.  
“Unfortunately," she buried her face into her mittens. Kakashi laughed again as he sighed in amusement.  
“This whole episode of you and Ebisu reminds me of that. In fact wasn’t it Ebisu that was pursuing you that afternoon?”  
“—And Rin along with the rest of the village kunoichi was pursuing you!" Toshi snapped with a smirk as she cut him off. Kakashi’s ears turned red in annoyance as Toshi smiled widely.  
“Yeah," he admitted with a shiver, “it was quite possibly one of the scariest moments of my life.”

*****

Evening was approaching during a long forgotten Holiday Eve in both Kakashi and Toshi’s pasts. The two of them were thirteen and still holding the rank of genin and chunin. The deep snow glistened brightly against the orange sky as Kakashi emerged from the front door to his house. He was hungry and felt like wandering off for some sustenance. He zipped the blue jacket he was wearing, a white strip across the chest, and straightened both his striped scarf and toboggan.  
“Noodles sounds good," he shivered slightly as the snow chilled against his wrapped shins. His snow sandals firmly into the snow, “Or maybe rice?”

Kakashi gazed up toward the evening sky. It was a mixture of orange and grey; perfect ingredients for the cold. He sniffed the air. The young boy was sure that they were going to get another foot by morning.  
“Might as well get it to go then," he thought while staring toward the front door, “no one to share it with anyway, so who cares?” Kakashi made a small attempt to trek away, when the faint sounds of a throat clearing echoed behind him. Kakashi turned around slightly to meet one of his teammates face to face.

She was a short figure, the same age as he was. She had a frock of shoulder-length brown hair bobbing out of her pink toboggan, as a small puff ball hung from the top. The young lady cleared her throat again while fiddling with her mittens. Kakashi didn’t think anything of her. He only raised a curious eyebrow.  
“Rin?” He questioned a little uneasy by the visitor, “It’s holiday eve. Shouldn’t you be with your family right now?” The girl smiled bashfully stepping a little in place.  
“Actually, Kakashi-kun?” She spoke timidly, “I was kinda—hoping—“ Kakashi narrowed his vision as he observed her fiddling mittens. She was holding something.  
“Whatchu got there?” He was a little intimidated.  
“Oh, this," the girl blushed violently, “it’s just—“ She opened her hands as Kakashi noticed a small twig of green. There where small white berries hanging from it as it sported a bright red bow. Kakashi’s eyes widened in surprise; it was mistletoe.  
“Um—," he was about to retreat back into his home. He could suppress the hunger until morning. This was much more urgent at the moment. Yet, before he could utter a sentence, let alone take a step backward, another voice rang out from the opposite direction.  
“RIN!” Another girl with long black hair folded her arms across her chest. Kakashi’s eyes were wide with fear as he noticed a familiar sprig lying in the girl’s hands, “Back off! I’m gonna kiss Kakashi!” Rin’s bashful demeanor instantly melted away as she almost sprang across the road toward the girl.  
“NO, YOU’RE NOT!" She bellowed, “I was here first!”  
Kakashi was staring toward the front door, now. He was petrified. There were two completely random girls in the middle of his neighborhood arguing over his affections. He didn’t want to give any affection. He planned on spending this evening by himself; maybe even with his dog Pakkun if the canine wanted to join him.  
“You both are out of your mind," a third voice shouted in the clearing. Kakashi nearly suffered a heart attack as he heard the voice. He spun around to her as she stared back at him with batted eyelashes.  
“Hi Kakashi-kun," she flirted brushing back her long blonde pigtails. She dangled a twig of the horrid plant above her forehead as she puckered up. Kakashi fell backward into the snow as he observed the three girls—no, there were more of them.

The boy felt like screaming as the road filled with young girls around his age. They were on the roof, they were coming from the alleys, and some were even trotting from the rice patty fields from across the way.  
“He’s gonna kiss me!" Some of them shouted.  
“Get lost you hag," one girl yelled as she pulled on another’s ponytail, “Kakashi’s my holiday kiss!” The boy was surrounded as the girls were drawing nearer by the second. Like a flash they all pounced toward him, as he sprang in the air, running down the road. He nearly crashed twice from taking a sharp turn toward the merchant district of the village.

*****

“So, you hanging with my family tonight?” Iruka questioned Toshi as she picked through a few flowers at the nearby floral shop.  
“I was thinking about it?” She thought out loud pensively, “—If mom and dad—“ She paused with a painful groan. Iruka patted her back kindly.  
“Still haven’t contacted you, huh?” He gave her a kind hug.  
“Mom sent an anonymous care package the other day. There were a few treats and toys inside. Doubt Papa even knew about it.” Iruka gave a sigh as he pointed toward a few twigs peering out of one of the shelves.  
“Those look weird?” He wondered out loud as the shop keeper smiled.  
“Mistletoe," the man tapped the small stems that were hovering over the children, “we found a huge amount a few days ago in the woods near the village. We’ve sold out three times; our best sale yet.”  
“What’s it for?” Iruka questioned again as Toshi interfered.  
“It’s for kissing," she laughed at the ten year old, “something you know nothing about. When two people stand under it, they’re supposed to kiss. It's for good luck!” Iruka made a face as Toshi snatched him up and gave him an annoying kiss on the cheek. He wiped it off in disgust as she giggled.  
“See," she teased, “you know nothing about that stuff!”  
“Eww," Iruka stuck his tongue out, “cooties!”

“I'm next!” A sing-song voice emerged from behind Toshi. The girl froze in her spot as Iruka spun around to meet the figure. He was a boy a little older than Toshi, if not the same age. He had a black frock of hair combed to the side and peering of his forehead protector. Caring a smug, yet cool smile, he lowered a pair of dark sunglasses down the bridge of his nose. Toshi peered behind her as he gave a wink in her direction.  
“Oh, how about—NEVER!” Toshi spat as the boy snatched a few bills from his pocket.  
“Give me all you can of that mistletoe stuff for this much," the boy smiled wickedly as the shopkeeper snapped a huge chunk of the plant. The young ninja snatched the bundle as he spun around to only see Iruka staring at him pensively.  
“She went that way, Ebisu," he pointed with a smile as the boy watched Toshi scurry as fast as she could while trying to keep balance on the random patches of ice in the street.

*****

“KAKASHI COME BACK!” The mob of kunoichi rampaged through the street as Kakashi sprinted down the walkway. He was determined to escape the riot skidding into another wall, and slamming into a few trash cans.  
“He went this way!” Kakashi could hear one of the girls squeal in delight, “He hasn’t gone far!” The boy slapped his forehead in frustration as he sped off again. Maybe, just maybe, if he could circle back to the house, he could have a chance of locking himself inside.

Meanwhile on another street heading straight into Kakashi’s direction, Toshi was running in desperation as the howling sounds of her unwanted admirer screeched behind her to stop.  
“Toshi please," Ebisu cried in a sprint, “I swear I wont bite!”  
“Fat chance," Toshi thought as she turned a corner quickly, “too bad I haven’t mastered Adachi-sensei’s mud clone technique! I could really use it right now!” Toshi had just became a genin the summer directly before. She was still working on mastering the tasks that her jonin instructor was teaching her team. Toshi slid as she regained traction on a huge slab of ice lining the walkway. She made a sharp turn left glaring behind her. Ebisu was far away now. Hopefully he didn’t see her turn.

Kakashi on the other hand was turning right onto a nearby road, as he darted his view to his rear. The mob wasn’t too far behind. He was sure that they had spotted his new change of course. Kakashi was about to spring onto a oncoming roof when—  
“OMPH!” Toshi and Kakashi collided on the street as they rose to meet each other face to face.  
“Hey," Toshi sprang up, “watch where you’re going, Show-off!”  
“Don’t call me that!” Kakashi growled at the girl, “And you should talk! You weren’t even looking where you were going!” Toshi was about to respond when Kakashi raised his hand to silence her.  
“Right!” The faint sounds of girls were approaching, “I think he turned right.”  
“Damn it!” The boy swore under his breath.  
“TOSHI!” Ebisu wailed in the distance as the girl could hear his footsteps grow nearer.  
“Mistletoe?” Kakashi stared blankly toward Toshi as she nodded hurriedly. Despite how much he didn’t want to help her, Kakashi snatched the girl by the arm as they sprang onto one of the rooftops. He ducked both she and himself down as they watched the two troubles meet face to face in the street.

“HEY YOU," the girl with the blonde pig tails pointed toward Ebisu in anger, “where did you see Kakashi go?”  
“Kakashi?” he held up the mistletoe as the girls backed away. The bunch was just too big for their taste. It was as though he were planning to kiss every single one of them.  
“Ewe, gross," a few of them muttered as they scowled toward him, “we don’t want to kiss you. We wanna kiss Kakashi!” Ebisu looked defeated as he pushed the glasses further up his nose.  
“Poor guy," Toshi felt a little sorry for him. She snatched Kakashi by the arm, “Better them than me.”  
“Hey, let go," Kakashi’s voice was cold, “I’ve got to get back—“  
“Trust me, Show-off," Toshi ignored his growl toward the name calling, “if you want to survive this thing, you’ll follow me.” Kakashi thought about the idea for a moment. It seemed that every girl within his age group wanted a spot under the horrid sprig with him this evening. He glared toward Toshi as he observed her scowl. He shook his head. She wanted nothing to do with that sort of nonsense. She was quite possibly the only girl in the village that didn’t want to go within ten feet of his lips.  
“Sure, I guess," he muttered as the two of them crept away.  
“We’ll hang out at the West training grounds," Toshi suggested, “until late evening. None of us have anywhere we need to be anyway, so no one will miss us.”

*****

Evening was settling in darker as the two young ninja approached the grounds. They had been successful at being unspotted, and this relieved Kakashi entirely. The mob from earlier had terror written all over it. He shuttered at the thought of being tackled by all of those girls.  
“They just don’t get it," he sat down on a log, “I don’t want anything like that!”  
“You’re preaching to the choir, Show-off,” Toshi leaned up against a tree, “my problem didn’t seem to get the gist as well.”  
“How many times do I have to tell you to stop calling me that!”, Kakashi barked at her as a snowball met his face.  
“Bull’s-eye," Toshi laughed out loud watching the boy wipe the slush from his eyes. He stared at her in anger shoving his hands into his pockets. He was met again by another snowball.  
“Stop it," he growled through clenched teeth.  
“Remove the mask, and I might," Toshi cocked her head in amusement. Kakashi ignored the proposition as he shivered from the cold.  
“I should be eating right now!” He muttered as another snowball hit him, this time on the shoulder.  
“Darn it," Toshi snapped her mitten-warn fingers, “missed.”  
“Child," Kakashi growled turning his back to her. Bad idea, he thought, after Toshi shot another snowball at him, whacking the toboggan off of his silver head of hair.  
“Will you just knock it off?” Kakashi sprang up as he snatched the hat from the ground, slamming it on his head. He shivered again realizing it was filled with snow.  
“Sorry," Toshi shook her head apologetically, “not until you remove the mask!”  
“You dragged me all the way out here just to get my mask off again?” Kakashi was perplexed as Toshi shrugged, “I had plans on circling back to my home and locking myself up for the night.”  
“You would have gone hungry if I didn’t?” Toshi grinned slyly, bending down to scoop up another handful of snow. Kakashi stared toward her with a slight grin under his mask as she faced away from him. He took the opportunity to make a few hand signs in the process. Toshi would never know.  
“Sure," he spat, “but I would be far away from you and any other girl in this village!”  
“But I don’t want to kiss you," Toshi patted the slush ball in her mittens raising an eyebrow toward him.  
“Take my mask off—kiss me under that dumb plant—what’s the difference?” Kakashi argued, “Either way it’s a girl trying to get me to do things I don’t want to do!”  
“Take it off," Toshi raised her hand in the air as she steadied her self to aim at his face, “or I’ll take it off for you!”  
“Pheh," Kakashi egged her on, “love to see you try!” Just as Toshi was about to let the snowball fly out of her grasp, a hand grasped the back of her shirt and jacket shoving a handful of icy snow down her back.  
The kunoichi sprang into the air as she hopped up and down with a squeal. She spun around to see a replica of Kakashi poof out of thin air.  
“You used a shadow clone on me you jerk!” She was furious running in circles, trying to relieve herself from the snow down her spine. Kakashi was doubled over in the foot high snow, roaring with laughter.

“That does it!” Toshi snatched two armfuls of snow as she lunged it toward Kakashi. The snow plopped down on his head as he rose him self up in surprise.  
“You won't get away with that!” He snatched a few handfuls throwing them with precise accuracy. He hit her twice between the eyes knocking her toboggan onto the snow. Toshi grabbed another armful of snow, tossing it in his direction. Kakashi moved forward as another snow ball whacked the hat off of his head again. He knelt down for it, as Toshi kicked him in the rear, sending him face first into the snow; a small chunk of it sneaking into his jacket. He was fully clothed from the mask down, but the chill still stung against him.  
“Doesn’t feel so great huh?” Toshi taunted with an obnoxious giggle. She threw another snowball at him as it pelted against his head. He fell backward as the icy ground caught his fall. Toshi approached with another armful of snow as he swiftly kicked her feet out from under her. She landed on her back; the held snow falling on her face.  
“GAME ON!” she gave a battle cry lifting herself up and heaving a huge armful at his face. He lifted his arms to block the avalanche, and snatched a few handfuls once more. The two sat in the snow throwing back and fourth. Finally out of pure exhaustion, Kakashi and Toshi flopped backward in the snow, laughing wildly.

“Whoa," Toshi noticed as the night sky stared down on them. Small traces of stars peering out of the grey clouds, “Didn’t realize how late it was.” Kakashi gave a tired breath of air turning his head toward her.  
“I’m sure that your family is waiting at home for you?” He questioned as Toshi sighed.  
“What family?” She muttered with a frown, “I don’t have one.” Kakashi’s eyes widened in suspicion; he could have sworn that she had one. The Hitteki clan was a scorned, yet well-known family with the village.  
“What do you mean?” Kakashi sighed not take his eyes off her, “don’t you—“  
“Long story short," Toshi cut him off. She didn’t really want to talk about it, “—The ninja way and will of fire is looked down upon in my family.” Kakashi didn't question further. He could feel the frustration boiling in her. He preferred her to be cheerful instead of angry.

There was silence as a few snowflakes began to fall on them from the sky. Toshi gave a hefty sigh as she kept her stare upward. She could have sworn for a moment that she had spotted a shooting star soaring behind one of the grey clouds.  
“Aren’t they pretty?" There was a hint of girlishness in her tone. Kakashi’s eyes widened as he turned toward her again. He had never heard her speak to him like that.  
“The way they twinkle like that," she continued without knowing he was looking at her, “I think they’re beautiful.” Kakashi smiled slightly under his mask. He didn’t know why, but he couldn’t stop looking at her.  
“Yeah," he muttered to himself without thought as he quickly looked toward the sky. Toshi had turned toward him with a smile.  
“Oh well," she finally lifted herself up, “better go before we both end up as ninja popsicles. I’m sure Ebisu’s back home by now, and your little fan club has separated.”  
“Sure hope so,” Kakashi rose up as she helped him off the snow. The two dusted themselves off venturing back toward the village.

“You know what," Kakashi admitted out loud as the two made their way through the small forest that outlined the training grounds “we’re a lot alike, Toshi.”  
“You don’t say?” Toshi answered back as she held back a few twigs to get through, “How so?”  
Kakashi tried to keep his footage in the brush, “We don’t have anywhere we need to be for the holiday, and we have a huge fear of Mistletoe.” Toshi laughed as she stopped walking. She turned toward the boy as she punched him slightly on the arm.  
“That’s the first intelligent thing you’ve said all night," she commented facing him, “now, let’s get back to the village. I’m starving.”  
“We’ve got that in common too," Kakashi joked as Toshi rubbed her neck staring upward. She wanted to get one last glimpse of the twinkling night sky before they got back to the lighted village. The lamps would have dulled the scenery above.  
“What is it?” Kakashi suddenly became worried as Toshi’s eyes widened in horror, as her body began to quake. He stared up into the same direction as the two noticed a small bush of all too familiar green and white, dangling above their heads.  
“Mystery solved on where the florists found their supply," Toshi remarked as the two met eye to eye. Toshi had noticed the sudden burst of color in Kakashi’s face, as he noticed her mirror-like reflection of embarrassment.  
“Well, um—," he was fidgeting violently with his mittens and scarf. He stretched the large knitted accessory away from his neck as though he were becoming overly warm.  
“Yeah," Toshi stared downward and then back up to meet the mistletoe hanging inches above their heads, “about that.”  
“They say it’s bad luck if you don’t do anything," Kakashi noted, “that’s why I was so determined on staying out from underneath it.” Toshi gulped; her eyes still wide with terror.

“Why don’t we just hug?” Toshi finally suggested as Kakashi nodded rapidly, “At least that way we’ll only have half of bad luck.”  
“Half is good," he choked out with open arms, “let’s get this over with already!” Toshi swallowed hard again as she reached out to answer the embrace. Suddenly her foot caught a tree root that was sticking out of the snow. Quickly, to gain her balance, she plopped into Kakashi’s arms as the two of them stared nose to nose with startled expressions. Eyes of both green and back met perfectly as they blinked in bewilderment, and possibly in wonder?  
“Well," Toshi patted his back firmly, “guess we can call it a night?”  
Kakashi answered back with a quick nod as Toshi lifted herself from his grasp. She dusted herself off once more as the boy hurried behind her, and toward the village.

*****

“I tried to forget that last part," Toshi grumbled covering her face again with her mittens. She supported herself on the bookshelf as she rose up from the floor. Kakashi reached out with a hand as she waved him away.  
“Don’t bother," she zipped up her coat again, and straightening her scarf. Toshi took from her pocket a pair of earmuffs as she clamped them firmly on her head.  
“Oh," she realized as she opened a small bag that was wrapped on her shoulder, “I completely forgot. It’s a good thing I ran into you.”  
“What is it?” Kakashi thought out loud as Toshi walked him toward the store door.  
“I’ll give it to you as soon as we get outside," she informed as the shop keeper scowled toward them. He was relieved to see them leave.

Once they were outside, Toshi led Kakashi across the street to a dumpling stand as she sat down on a chair sitting next to a dining table. Toshi plopped her bag onto the table as she pulled from it a brightly wrapped package.  
“I didn’t think that I was going to run into you until tomorrow, but since its Holiday Eve," she smiled sweetly “here you go!” Kakashi took the gift gingerly sitting it down on the table.  
“Here," he unzipped his vest pulling out the wrapped book, “hope you like it.”  
“Is that what you were in there for," she smirked, “last minute gifts?”  
“Guilty," Kakashi gave a grin under his mask as he untied the small bow on top of his present. He stopped, “Open yours first.”  
Toshi snorted an amused laugh as she ripped open the wrapping paper. Inside the wrapping was the novel that Kakashi bought earlier that evening.  
“I was thinking about buying this the other day," she grinned slyly, “but thought otherwise. Good thing I didn’t!” Kakashi chuckled as Toshi punched him in the arm slightly from across the table, “Thanks, Copy Cat.” Kakashi ignored the nick name. It was friendlier spoken than sarcastic.  
“Go on," Toshi urged almost on the edge of her seat, “I want to see your face when you open it!”  
Kakashi gazed suspiciously toward her as Toshi smirked in his direction. He finished untying the bow and ripped the bright paper away. It was an average size wooden box. Toshi gave him another grin as he observed two brass latches on the front of it. Completely interested now, he opened the contents of the container.

His eyes widened, and he nearly felt like crying.

“As I said, I had to stop by Yasaru’s today and pick up something. The boy is a wonder with weapons, and after I explained what had happed, he told me that he could fix it," Toshi spoke kindly patting his arm gently. Kakashi huffed in amazement as he supported his forehead in his hand.  
“But I don’t understand?” He looked up at her in complete admiration, “How did you get the pieces?”  
“Pakkun," Toshi admitted with a laugh, “Pakkun fetched them, no pun intended.” Kakashi reached into the box as he pulled out the small tanto.  
“My father’s White Chakra Blade”, he muttered almost to himself as though he were reminding himself what it was, “after it snapped in half—“  
“I heard you were real torn up about it when it happened. It was the last thing your dad gave you, wasn’t it?” Toshi commented sweetly as the ninja nodded with a hefty sigh.  
“Thank you," he rose up as she followed the gesture. He embraced her in a warm hug as Toshi smiled to herself. He had taken to her present better than she had expected.

When all was said and done, and their hug had ended, Kakashi wiped the slight tears from his only visible eye as he stared down toward Toshi. She was beaming.  
“Happy Holidays, Kakashi," she grinned.  
“Happy Holidays, Toshi," he sniffed gazing upward.

There was a pause as Toshi looked at him with fear planted on her face. It was as though history was repeating itself. Kakashi was staring in shock, and his body was vibrating in terror.  
“No," she wouldn’t dare look up as Kakashi gulped in intimidation, “Nuh Uh!”  
“Yah Huh!” Kakashi answered her call as he pointed toward the canopy to the noodle shop. Toshi reluctantly gazed upward as her view was met by the all too familiar green leaves and white berries of mistletoe.  
“We've already hugged," Toshi admitted searching her mind for a loophole out of this predicament, “and I don’t want my bad luck to get any worse than it has been so—“  
“Looks like we’ll have to—," Kakashi choked out, “—Ki—“  
“Don’t say it," Toshi covered his mouth with her un-mittened hand, “it’s bad enough that we have to, I don’t need you blabbing it!” Kakashi gave a nervous chuckle as he loosened the scarf that was peering out of his flack vest.

“Wait-a-minute!” Kakashi looked relieved as he grasped her shoulders, “There is a way out of this!” Toshi nodded for an explanation as he smiled gleefully under the mask.  
“Rules say that we have to kiss!” Kakashi pointed a knowing finger at her, “Yet, it doesn’t say how.” Toshi’s eyes widened in excitement. He was right.  
“Okay!” She was game, “What do we do?”  
“I'll go first!” Kakashi grasped her hand, “Might as well get this over with.” With one fell swoop, he took his masked face and kissed her hand gently. Toshi grinned toward the idea, and thought it to be brilliant.  
“Now its your turn!” Kakashi motioned as Toshi thought for a moment. She couldn’t kiss him on the hand, which would have been too weird. Finally after much thought, she shrugged slightly.  
“C’mere," she gestured for him to grow closer. Kakashi followed the order as she kissed him slightly below the forehead protector; just above the bridge of his nose.  
“Good then," Kakashi clapped his hands in relief.  
“Wonderful," Toshi nodded while putting back on her mittens. She snatched the book from the table holding it carefully.

I appreciate the gift," she smiled toward her friend as Kakashi grasped the box protectively.  
“Me too, you really shouldn’t have!” He replied patting her shoulder kindly. They stared toward the mistletoe again as their eyes met just like when they were kids. Nerves shuttered on both ends as they tore themselves from the situation once more.  
“It’s been fun," Toshi announced, “but I had better get back home. C’ya!”  
“Right!” Kakashi pointed as Toshi scurried off, “Oh, Toshi!” Toshi spun around to him as he pointed down the opposite direction of the street.  
“What?”  
“Your apartment is that way!” He noted with a chuckle as Toshi’s face flushed bright red.  
“Right!” She hurried past him while giving a wave, “See you later!”  
“Bye!” Kakashi chuckled toward her mistake as he turned the opposite way, running straight into a pole.


End file.
